Columbus North has never won a Conference Indiana boys track title in the league’s 20-year history, but the Bull Dogs might have a chance this year.
The top four teams appear to be fairly balanced, with none being ranked in this week’s Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches poll. Columbus North is one of those four teams who figure to battle for the title Friday at Southport.
“I think the boys side is going to be really competitive,” Bull Dogs coach Lou Sipe said. “Bloomington South and Bloomington North are really competitive, and Franklin Central is really good this year, but I think it’s going to be really close.”
Columbus North will have one of the meet’s top athletes in senior pole vaulter Brigham Kleinhenz. At Brown County’s Talon Relays on Saturday, Kleinhenz vaulted a school-record 14 feet, 9 inches, which ranks sixth in the state this season.
The Bull Dogs finished third last year behind Bloomington South and Bloomington North.
No. 11-ranked Bloomington North is the favorite in the girls meet. The Cougars are the only ranked girls team in the field.
Columbus North’s girls, which won Conference Indiana titles in 2008 and 2014, finished sixth last season. Sophomore Olivia Morlok is the defending conference champion in the 3,200 meters.
“I think we have some girls that are going to be very competitive,” Sipe said. “Obviously, the Bloomington school are very good. We saw Terre Haute South this past weekend and were able to compete with them.”
East, North set callouts
Columbus East’s boys soccer program will have its callout meeting at 6 p.m. today in Room 110 of the school for any students in Grades 8 to 11 who are interested in playing soccer this fall. The coaching staff will discuss the program and provide information about the upcoming summer schedule. For more information, contact coach Brad Barber at [email protected].
The Columbus North boys cross-country callout meeting will be at 6 p.m. May 14 in the Northside Middle School cafeteria. For more information, contact coach Danny Fisher at [email protected] or 812-320-8402.
Pairings to be webcast
The IHSAA softball tournament pairings will take place beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday. The pairings show will be webcast on ihsaatv.org.
The baseball tournament pairings will begin at 7 p.m. May 6. They also will be webcast on ihsaatv.org.
Softball game rescheduled
The Columbus East at Jennings County softball game, which was rained out on Tuesday, has been rescheduled for May 11.
Also, Columbus North has added a baseball game at Roncalli at 10 a.m. Saturday. Hauser’s softball doubleheader with East Central scheduled for Saturday has been canceled.
Ted Schultz is sports editor for The Republic. He can be reached at [email protected] or 812-379-5628.
